Truck Driving Makes 2018 List of Toughest Jobs to Fill

The truck driving profession is on the top 10 list for CareerCast’s 2018 Toughest Jobs to Fill report, which CareerCast Online Content Editor Kyle Kensing believes is the result of the recession and skills gap.

In the report, CareerCast lists a truck drivers’s annual median salary as $41,340 and has a growth outlook of 6%. By 2026, there will be an additional 108,400 positions available. The data was compiled through cross reference with trade associations and information available to CareerCast.

“When you think of consumer confidence being down, shopping being down, construction being down — those are all of the industries that feed in directly to trucking and transportation,” said Kensing.

As a result of the recent recession, people have either found work in different industries or former truck drivers who took a hiatus need to be recertified, according to Kensing.

Kensing believes that the solution to filling those jobs is a renewed focus on vocational-type careers and training.

“Trucking is an excellent and rewarding field and there is typically high demand there,” said Kensing. “I think we just need to do a better job at providing a little bit more information and background about what it entails as well as the kind of career path you can have and the kind of money you can make.”

Apollo Career Center Truck Driving Academy Manager Jim Rosen and his team are doing all they can to prepare students who are seeking to become truck drivers.

In the very beginning of the course, Rosen takes the students through career counseling to make sure that trucking is a good fit.

“We seem to be able to keep the classes full for our capacity,” said Rosen. “There is definitely a demand and interest in it. We have 40-some companies that will hire our graduates.”

Despite the fact that truck driving is listed as one of the top jobs to fill, it is in high demand and is a profession that Rosen said is well worth it.

“There is great job stability,” said Rosen. “As long as you keep a good driving record, you can drive, you can really make a good living with full benefits.”